If there were ever a category for the most beloved journeyman in all of NFL history, the upper brass of the league would have a hard time denying Jameis Winston as the rightful title holder. Of course, he’d rather be a full-time starter than a fan-favorite journeyman, but he’s still managed to create a legacy for himself all the same.
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After initially being drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the first overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Winston spent the first five years of his career desperately trying to reach the playoffs before the team ultimately decided to employ none other than Tom Brady himself.
According to Winston, seeing the then-six-time Super Bowl champion guide his former franchise towards the postseason was a bit of a “bittersweet” moment.
“It was exciting just because I knew, I was certain, that I was a part in building that culture and investing into that team to have the capacity to go and be led by the greatest to ever do it. It was kind of a bittersweet feeling, just because of the relationships I have,” he said.
His proximity to the situation didn’t seem to help either. After his time in Tampa Bay had come to an end, Winston would find employment with the New Orleans Saints, just a few hundred miles west of his original home. However, the reality of the skill gap didn’t set in for him until he saw his former team hoist the NFC Championship.
In noting that Brady “found a way to win” against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers that day, Winston admitted that he couldn’t help but to feel a bit “hurt” by the sudden success of the team.
“I left games on the table in terms of winning,” Winston suggested. “If you do make mistakes… how are you, at that moment, bouncing back from that in the course of that game… That was the heart wrenching thing to me. I know we would have been in the same position, because I learned my lesson. I’m like a little kid that just got a whooping and I got to tell my dad that I learned my lesson, just let me go back outside and play.”
Even though the Buccaneers have seemingly put any and all thoughts of Winston towards the back of their minds, the former Florida State Seminole still has an opportunity in front of him with the New York Giants. While some believe that it may be his final chance in the league, it’s still a chance nonetheless.
For as many interceptions as he’s thrown throughout his career, Winston has also proven himself capable of producing down-field plays unlike anyone else. He’s now benefitting from the opportunity to work behind yet another Super Bowl MVP in Russell Wilson, and the G-Men are currently providing them with a generational coworker in Malik Nabers.
So while it may not be the most glamorous of spots for a 10-year veteran to be in, it’s better than nothing, and if you consider the give-and-take philosophy that has defined much of Winston’s career, then it’s fair to say that he may be exactly where he belongs in New York.
